Kahr CT380–The Perfect Pocket Pistol?

The Kahr CT380 is an ideally sized subcompact .380. The beveled slide cuts down weight and helps guide the gun into a holster.

Kahr’s guns are sometimes hard to describe accurately. These polymer framed pistols are perfectly sized, almost always perfect in form and function, and they have always been designed with concealed carry in mind. Yet some of the Kahr pistols are priced above their competitors guns. That isn’t to say they’re not worth the extra scratch. But the features that make them more expensive are not easy to see. That’s a big hurdle for Kahr.

I’d be willing to bet that the price tag that is the main reason more people don’t carry Kahrs. This isn’t lost on Kahr, who is responding to the market. Kahr has now created the Value Series, which makes owning a Kahr much more realistic for most of us. And the guns are still living up to Kahr’s excellent reputation. The latest addition to the Value line is the CT380.

The trigger is wide and rounded over. It is very comfortable to pull, and easy to find.

The CT380 is a polymer framed double-action sub-compact pistol chambered in .380 ACP. It utilizes a stainless steel slide and locking breach action. Keeping true to Kahr’s lineage, the pistol is built with care and attention to detail. Its footprint is small and its function above par. Though the CT380 is a value series gun, it is still built with above standard materials. What makes this pistol a value series firearm is that Kahr has exchanged a few over-the-top features for a more standard approach.

They’ve exchanged the match grade polygonal rifled barrel for a conventional rifled stainless steel barrel. The machined slide stop has been replaced by a metal injected molded part. Simplifying the machining processes saves build time. They’ve also changed to simple engravings for the slide markings. The gun ships with one magazine and it arrives in a cardboard box instead of the plastic case. All cost saving measures allow the new pistol to meet and compete in a much lower cost market.

The CT 380 isn’t the smallest .380 on the market, but it is small enough to conceal easily, and large enough to control.

Shooting the CT380 is a pleasurable experience that everyone from novice shooters to experts will enjoy. The CT 380 has some serious springs, which helps eat the shock of recoil. For a .380, the little Kahr’s kick is mild. It also has above standard capacity (7+1), which makes the CT380 even better for personal defense situation. The extra grip covering that 7th round makes it easier to hold. No magazine extensions needed.

One thing that makes Kahr unique is that their double action only trigger actually cocks the gun. It is a true double action, more like a revolver than most polymer pistols that are always cocked. Iniside is a passive striker block which makes the gun even more safe. And there is no magazine disconnect, so it will fire without a magazine in the gun.

There is no external safety on the CT380–just draw the pistol and pull the trigger. No extra steps in the draw. No safeties to worry about disengaging. The CT380’s sights are also a benefit, as they’re larger than those typically found on mouse guns. The back sight has a white stripe that aligns with the white dot on the front blade. Simply line the two up and squeeze. For fans of one handed manipulation, the CT380’s sights may prove challenging. It is possible to rack with the rear sight, but more difficult as it has a slight pyramid shape.

The dings on this silhouette are evidence of the fast work of the CT 380 when drawn and fired from concealment.

That said, the sights work. When combined with the clean trigger pull (which is breaking right at 4.4 pounds), I was able to stretch out target engagement distances well past the standard 7 yards I generally use as the proving distance for defensive handguns. I could hardly believe that the barrel was one of the cost saving features of the Value line. I’d really like to see just how accurate the other Kahr .380s are comparison–the P380 line. These aren’t target pistols, and I hadn’t even brought any paper targets to the range yet I was still able to group 5 shots into a 2 inch pattern on the painted steel from 7 yards with no difficulty at all.

Carrying the CT380 is easy. It slides into a pocket or holster it inside the waistband. The gun instantly disappears. Printing isn’t much of a problem thanks to its overall size. If you do plan on carrying the pistol in your pocket, I’d still suggest a pocket holster, as this gun doesn’t have an external safety. For me, out-of-sight isn’t always out-of-mind, but with the incredibly lightweight CT380 I found myself forgetting I was even carrying the gun. And if you want one that’s even smaller, Kahr makes the CW380 which has a shorter barrel and grip.

The grip is long enough that the mag won’t catch on your palm when you hit the button.

Is the CT380 the ideal .380? It fills that gap created by most .380s on the market. It seems as if 6+1 has been the recipe for 380s for the last few years. For those of you who like to challenge yourselves by limiting your guns’ capacity, 6+1 may work. But smaller is, theoretically easier to conceal–that is the only benefit. Everything else, from capacity to control, is made better with a little extra to hold onto. In an environment were every round counts, the one extra round means everything; it could mean the difference between life and death. Gaining this round doesn’t really changes the overall height of the gun by a half inch which is half an inch more to hold while employing the weapon. So for me it’s a win win.

Criticisms?

I wouldn’t mind having front slide serrations to make two handed manipulation a bit easier. It isn’t a must, but I sometimes reach over the front of the slide to clear a malfunction, and the finish on the slide is slick.

I had some issues with the CT380 and steel cased Tula .380. They don’t play well together. I like to try, though, even though I know it will create the occasional hiccup. And if you run steel cased ammo when the CT380 is dry, it gets even worse. This isn’t the guns fault, though. Keep it clean and well fed and you won’t have any issues. When I oiled it up and fed it a steady diet of decent ammo, the CT380 ran like a champ.

The one and only complaint I have about the CT380 is the amount of effort it takes to pull the slide back. It is not easy for me, and I have ample strength and experience. To see if this was really an issue (or just me being pampered) I handed the empty gun to my 100 pound sister and asked if she could lock the slide open. She simply couldn’t do it. To me, this is a big deal. This gun maybe a backup weapon or deep concealment option. But for some, the CT380 could (and most likely would) be their main line of defense. It is a hard balance to maintain. The CT380’s springs make the slide stiff and cumbersome. But the stiff slide makes this a fast pistol that is easy to control–when shooting.

After working with the CT380, I think Kahr has a horse in the concealed carry race, and with the quality of the Value Series, I think Kahr may be a winner. These pistols are a steal at $399–and they’re selling for less (which is good, as you’ll want the extra money for another mag or two and a holster). All in all the CT380 is a working man’s gun begging to be brought along on his every day adventures. If you haven’t checked one out yet, head down to your local Kahr dealer and see it for your self. Put your hands on it. Work the slide and see if it fits.

The double spring makes the Kahr really stiff, but it also helps with recoil. It is a calculated trade off. Is it too hard to rack?

The CT 380 disassembled. Assembly and disassembly is effortless. This is a gun that likes to be kept clean and well oiled.

Look into the slide and you will see how carefully each of these guns is milled. The angles are precise and intentional.

The external extractor is fat and stubby. It isn’t prone to sheering off like some lighter .380 extractors.

While the flats of the grips are rough, the front and back straps are ehavily knurled.

The gun is accurate enough to make pin-point shots, and fast enough to get defensive rounds on target.

The CT 380 is missing front slide serrations. I’d like something on the front of the slide to hold onto, as it is slick.

Look at how high the sights are on the CT 380. These are actual sights, a rarity on a .380 these days.

Line up the two white dots.

The only obtrusive element on the Kahr CT 380 is the slide stop, and it not going to catch on anything.

Welded steel mags that show each round clearly–a nice touch.

Looking down the muzzle you can see how thin the frame and slide actually are.

I own the Tungsten version of the CT380. This gun is outstanding in every way for me. Mine came with 2 magazines and a hard case. Initially, it was having trouble feeding any brand of ammo. That issue completely disappeared after about 200 rounds. I highly recommend this dandy little 380. I find myself carrying it more than my PM9

As a Pocketgun enthusiast, I own the Kahr. Yes a nice little gun. However, my pocket CCW of Choice is the Beretta Pico. One of the most underrated guns out there. Not only one of the most reliable, but the gun has the best build quality I have seen. And one very mild shooting Pistol. Liked it so much, I bought a second one. Between the two, I have thousands of perfect rounds fired though them. They are fast to draw, and very accurate at point and shoot. And you can carry just about anywhere on the body. Not just a gun to shoot, but one that you actually like to pull out and just admire the craftsmanship that goes into the all Stainless steel gun that is designed to shoot the hottest of ammo. Ps I have owned 4 lcp’s. No more.

Well, I’ve been on a 380 kick here recently. I bought a Ruger LCP which shot great and Beretta Pico which shot and functioned great but had a heavy trigger and when pulling the trigger back through it’s long stroke my index finger would hit the palm of my hand. I liked the gun but the slide was harder than the Kahr to retract. The Ruger had a good trigger and functioned great and both of these pistols were very accurate but I sold them and bought the Kahr CT380 and I really like it. It is hard to retract the slide but if you use the push-push method it makes it easier. This is wear you push the slide back with the left hand and also push the frame in with the right hand (or vice-versa for lefties) so that you have compund leverage.
Mine has been running find with nary a bobble and I haven’t reached the 200rd mark yet. It’s easy to shoot accurately but just a little to big to slip in your back jeans pocket for concealed carry. The Ruger is perfect for that as well as the CW380 pr P380.
I really liked the Ruger but wanted a stainless slide for rust prevention since I live in the hot and humid south.
I was going to get another Ruger LCP with stainless slide but ran across the Taurus TCP with stainless slide and what sold me on it was the smooth trigger pull and it also came with 2 mags. I’ve had one before and it shot as good as the Ruger. I’ll be getting it next week and will be breaking it in alongside the CT380.
I also have the Kahr CM9 and love that gun. Probably looking at getting a CW9 later on. I’ve had other Kahr models liek the CW40 and CT45 and they went to my two brother’s.
Anyways, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it !!

Based on this article, I bought a ct 380 three months ago. I’ve had nothing but problems with it, mainly failure to feed. Tried numerous brands of ammo, even after firing 200 rounds, still problems. Sent it back to Kahr, they kept it about five weeks, replaced a spring, still not working properly. I have no faith in this pistol. Going to send it back to Kahr with a one way ticket. Won’t be buying any more Kahrs.

My Kahr CT 380 had similar problems during the first 300 rounds. It really hated steel cased ammo. Took it apart and stoned a slight radius”10 thousandths approx.” on the extractor base to make it slip over the cartridge rim easier. This solved the feeding problem. Also polished the striker and sear engagement on the striker. No longer having any issues. The pistols as they come are stiff and some need a bit of tuning. Kahr would do a lot better if they would do these things before shipping the guns. Not everyone is a gun tinkerer.

Be VERY cautious with this pistol!! I am recuperating from an accidental discharge in my pocket where the trigger was not touched and it fired while sitting at a desk. The gun was accurate, very controllable, and reliable. But all bets are off. I will not carry anything without a safety, or a revolver. And I have 50 years experience.

I own a CT380, and experienced quite a few FTEs until I fired 200 rounds through it, but it functions fine now. Has anyone been able to find a good pocket holster? DeSantis doesn’t seem to make one for the this model yet.

If .380 ammo cost what it should I’d consider the CT380. I own a Kahr K9 ( my most accurate 9mm) and a CW40; my smallest & most concealable .40s/w.
Both are well made, ultimately dependable, and treasured tools. The CT380 article was great. I just may have to add a another Kahr to my collection.

I am really suprised there are people who actually like Kahr firearms. I have owned a few and had nothing but problems with them. I am an avid shooter, retired military police, so weapons are not new to me. I have owned over 40 handguns from various companies and I can say without a doubt, Kahr was the only brand I had issues with. The guns are horrible and so is their customer service. Glad to hear your gun works, must be the 1 in 1000000000 that worked!!

I own several Kahr pistols. My Kahr’s are the only guns I’ll carry. The only one I had any trouble with was my PM45. I called Kahr and described the problems, they sent me a couple of replacement parts, and I’ve never had another malfunction with it. I own a PM45, a PM9, an MK9, a CW9, and a CW380. All have been flawless.

I just purchased a CT 380, fired 200 rounds at the range the next day, and it performs well if I hold a stiff wrist. If not it fails to feed, stovepipes, or jams. I know this weapon will perform as I over 100 shots that were flawless. I am very happy with my purchase. I just need to learn to shoot it.

I recently picked up a nice used CT380 at a local pawn shop. Looked like it had never been fired, $279.00 with 2 mags, box and papers. Is pretty much the same size as my S&W bodyguard .380, except it’s a 7+1 instead of a 6+1, but I can easily get a full 3 finger grip on the Kahr and the trigger is much better on the Kahr than the S&W.

I can shoot this one much more accurately than the S&W bodyguard. Recoil is lighter than the Bodyguard and The trigger is a dream for this type of pistol, and it disappears into my front pocket, to the point I don’t realize it is there a lot of times. A lot of folks comment that the various 9mm micros aren’t much bigger, but that isn’t really true. The CT380 is only .75 of an inch thick, while most mini 9’s are at least .9 of a inch, or even as much as 1.1 inches thick. Big difference in the pocket.

The only thing part on this gun that does not look as robust as I would like is the slide lock/release lever spring. Looks a little flimsy, so I ordered a couple of replacements and set them aside. I think they were maybe $2.00 each. That being said, this will not be a high usage range gun. Points and shoots a lot like my Makarov, so it’s not like I will need to burn up a lot of ammo with it just to keep proficient.

But, as with anything, guns, cars, beers, whiskies, and women, different strokes for different folks.

The spring is tough and i almost thought of giving up. At least for a minute. Used the second minute to think. Then used the third minute for action. The recoil spring is doubled up. I removed one spring at a time and racked the gun a few hundred times with each spring in by itself. It sounds like a lot but doesn’t take long at all. Then put both springs in and left it overnight in an open position. The next day i did the same thing. The damn gun was not going to win. The first day i had it at the range i about ripped the skin off my hands on it. After working the springs i had no issues. Once i had a hundred rounds on target everything was working great. I used Sig Sauer, Aguila, and Winchester White box with no issues. The 100 grain Sig is my new favorite 380 ammo. It hated Fiocchi. That worked out ok because my Taurus loves it. The Kahr is a great gun. Don’t give up on it. Don’t let it win. Once it becomes your bitch you will love the way it shoots and feels in your hand. I don’t love the sights but the goal of this is to press out and hit center mass.

I just bought a KAHR CT380. Have yet to fire it since I may want to sell it. The spring is really tough no doubt. I have a problem with the magazine release button. It doesn’t want to release the magazine. I have to push it several times and then have to pull the magazine out. Reading the manual that comes with the gun, it looks like the take down is a little strange. You don’t lock the slide back, you have to slide it back just enough to line up with ?? “2. Draw the slide about 3/4 inch to the rear so that the relief cut in the slide aligns with the slide stop.” “3. Tap the slide stop out of the pistol from the right to left with a light , non-maring hammer or plastic screwdriver handle.” I don’t have enough hands to do this. Also, the spring is so dam strong, I can’t hold it at 3/4 inch back and tap out the slide stop. Dry firing the pistol the trigger is hard and mushy. Do I have a problem gun or is it just me???

I am not sure I understand Kahr’s CT “value” series, since it seems indistinguishable from the CM and CW series. My CW9 (also 7+1) is still pocketable (true, not the front shirt pocket, but I have never heard of anyone putting a gun there), and weighs in at a svelte 16 oz.. with a 3.5″ barrel. I paid $380. The CM9 (6+1) is even smaller and lighter, with a 3″ barrel.
To respond to Just the Facts, I too think a 9 is preferable to a .380. The9mm round has superior penetration over a .380. Adt bad breath distances, it won’t matter, but at 7 yards, I’ll take the extra oomph.

I’m stumped by your post.. By that I mean using your logic, why bother with a 9mm? If a .40 is available why bother with a 9mm, a .380 a .38 a .22lr wait a minute! Of course! Why bother with anything but a .50? I mean then we wouldn’t need to worry about shells, everyone would be making .50’s! No worry about what gun to buy, why a .50 of course! With a bit of snicker because after all we all want to have the same thing… Now, I’ve had a few nips of Jim Beam Double Aged today so I may have misunderstood your point, but I just can’t get behind your logic?

I agree. My thought is, any weapon you have at hand when you need one is the appropriate one. From the lowly .22 LR to whatever. So let people espouse their wants and needs for various guns. I recall once many years ago when an E-tool saved my hide after my M-16 was damaged. Semper Fi.

Why bother? Because the guns are not the same. I have owned several Kahrs including an MK-40 (snappy little bastard), CM-9, K-40 (cool gun) and now the CT-380. The CT is my favorite by far. It is significantly thinner when carrying and also much lighter. Since I carry in my front pocket the weight and thickness are important. On top of that the extra length of the grip allow better control as I have XL hands. The extra round is also an advantage. So why bother? Because the CT-380 gives you 4 distinct reasons to bother. My $.02.

I learned a secret to racking any slide when I was working for the Air Force as an armed gate guard a few years back. We used the standard Beretta 9M which can be hard to rack if you don’t know how. When we disarmed for the day we had to drop the magazine and hand it to the person at the discharge barrel. Then, and this is important, you tilt the pistol forward (if you are right handed) with the discharge port on the bottom side. Wrap your left hand over the slide and grip real tight then push the main frame to the left. This does two things. It expels the ammo out of the chamber and drops it right into your palm. This takes a little practice and I suggest you do it with the pistol unloaded until you can do it fluently and with confidence. Works like a charm because you hold the slide with your weak hand but use the strong hand to push the main frame through the cycle. This is harder on smaller pistols but works with a little practice. I had the Kahr .380 too but traded it for a S&W lite 5 shot .38 cal. because my wife could not cycle the Kahr, but no trouble with the revolver, a much better weapon for a woman using good Hornady Critical Defense load. Trigger is good too as you can use it as a DA or SA.

This is a terrible idea. I have seen first hand the results of this practice. A guy lost part of a finger when the slide slipped and struck the primer of the round he was attempting to remove. We were shooting a 3 gun match and he took the time to educate us against the practice – with visible proof supporting his lesson. I used to do the same thing, but after seeing his hand decided it was not worth the risk.

The problem I have with the Khar’s is not the price but they are not safe. The first experience I had with a Khar is when I was working as a Range Safety Officer at my gun club. A shooter had a Khar and when I went to make the range cold, I called for people to make their weapons safe which means you drop the magazine unload the gun and lock the slide back in an open position. That’s when I found out the Khar didn’t lock the slide in an open position when the last round was fired and didn’t have any way to lock the slide in the open position. To me this is an unsafe weapon. I believe Khar sacrifices safety to keep the price of a weapon low.

Cyle, it is apparent that you are either mistaken/careless in your comments in re Kahr firearms, or not telling the truth. In either case, I don’t think I want someone like that as a Range Safety Officer anywhere I am shooting. I too own several Kahr Pistols, from the higher priced P series, throughthe CT and CM models. They have been my every day carry choice for more than 9 years. THEY ALWAYS LOCK BACK on the last round. and they always go bang when the trigger is pulled. I’ll be generous and assume your were just mistaken.

HOW DID THIS MAKE IT PAST THE MODERATOR? I’ve had posts deleted for mentioning a non-NRA Gun Rights organization during the big Boston Marathon Bomb censorship craze, and this makes it through? First of all let’s at least spell it right. K-A-H-R Kahr NOT Khar. This is the first I’ve heard of a Kahr not lock the slide in an open position when the last round was fired. My Kahr K9 has always locked open after the last round was fired.. Sorry Admin, but this is bad form.

All Kahr pistols are designed to lock the slide back after the last shot. Failure to do so implies a problem with that individual gun. Yesterday, in a gun shop, I came across a P380 with the 7-round magazine that failed to lock back even when I pushed up on the slide release. The salesman couldn’t make it lock back, either. There was a problem with that particular gun. The other Kahrs in the display case worked correctly.

Have a CM 9. At club range, indoor, 50 ft. have shot approx. 200-300 RDS. w’out a hitch in feed even w’ Fed. alum. Did shoot low til l filed ft. site. Pretty dam acret now for not a range gun. I would like to find some lead head rds. for it. Had 10 mm. Glock and .40 cal. Both stung my tender thumbs, Kahr CM 9 is snappy but acceptable. Ammo is fairly cheap and available. Am content. 350 well spent, research was time well spent.

Have a CM 9. At club range, indoor, 50 ft. have shot approx. 200-300 RDS. w’out a hitch in feed even w’ Fed. alum. Did shoot low til l filed ft. site. Pretty dam acret now for not a range gun. I would like to find some lead head rds. for it. Had 10 mm. Glock and .40 cal. Both stung my tender thumbs, Kahr CM 9 is snappy but acceptable. Ammo is fairly cheap and available. Am content. 350 well spent, research was time well spent.

My late wife and I both owned Kahr 380’s for a while. Would never own another one. The slide was impossible to rack for both of us and the pistol was the most ammo-sensitive one I’ve ever owned. Not the kind of firearm one would want to rely on in a real-world life or death situation.

Check out the Beretta Storm sub compact in either 9mm or 40 caliber. I own the 40. It has 10 plus 1 capacity & fits in my right front pants pocket. It will eat any crap 40 cal ammo I feed it & always goes bang when I pull the trigger. $500.00 range & well worth the investment.

I loved my Kahr P9 but sold it for feeding problems a couple of years ago. Racking the slide always caused a jam with ANY hollow points. I called the company . . . the manual actually says you must have the slide locked back and use their slide release for reliable feeding. That’s ridiculous and dangerous. I’m not sure if all of the models have this design flaw but they might. Otherwise Kahrs are awesome.

Dangerous? Not. The gun cannot fire until the trigger is pulled, and the operation of the slide gives only a half cock (which actually occurs within the first inch of backwards slide travel). Fully cocking requires pulling the trigger.

Yeah, um I guess wipe that thing off before you stick it in your pants… Generally a good rule with any oily uh and pants sticking into… Uh yeah, this is just too obvious to even continue on the subject. Wipe that puppy down before sticking it back in your pants1

Owned Kahr CW series since 2008. These serious springs might never wear out. lol.
How to break in Kahr springs.
Load mag. Lock slide back. Place in safe for 30 days (mag not in gun).
If still a problem, repeat steps.
When not in use, store with full mag, slide locked back

I just bought a Kahr CW380 to replace my Taurus TCP 738. The Taurus has been nothing but a problem in reliability. First the Taurus could not feed properly then it would not extract the shell casing. I returned it to Taurus who replaced the barrel and extractor. I have not had an opportunity to test it yet.

Also I have not tested the Kahr CW380. It is the same size as the Taurus TCP with a 1/4′ shorter barrel but 1.5 oz heavier. I bought the extended magazine because I like the pinky purchase. I just do not like the hanging pinky feel and have more control of the recoil with an extended mag. I also bought a Talon Grip for the CW380 based on recommendations of other CW380 owners. The Talon grip will help with recoil management and gives better gripping power for a small gun. But the grips on the CW380 appear adequate.

Kahr recommends at least a 200 round break in period to help work the recoil spring. FYI a coiled spring will retain its integrity at rest or in compressing. Letting the gun sit for a period of time with the slide back will not break it in. Only the constant rest/compression of shooting the gun will break in the recoil spring. An alternative is to pull/release the slide by hand but I found that this is marginal at best and hurts your hand after several pull/releases. Its more fun just to shoot the gun to break it in.

I dunno… this pistol looks like neither fish nor fowl: Not small and light enough to fit into your front-shirt pocket, yet not big and heavy enough to be comfortable for regular target practice. Methinks a Glock 26 is just a tad larger and does not pretend to be what it is not.